Methods for improving rice nutrition via manipulation of starch crystalline structure and nutrient penetration treatment

Abstract

The methods of the invention provide improved rice grain nutrition by manipulation of the rice starch crystalline structure leading to easier penetration of nutrients into the rice grain and enhancement of rice grains with nutrients, thereby creating enhanced rice grain products. In addition, methods of direct delivery of nutrients into rice grains are also presented.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of fortifying and reconstituting rice grains, the method comprising:
 soaking rice grains in water for a time sufficient to swell the grains, wherein the water comprises water having at least one enriching nutrient additive, to form fortified swollen rice grains;   draining the swollen fortified rice grains from excess water and cooking the fortified rice grains by steaming, microwaving, or a combination thereof, until gelatinization of the fortified rice grains occurs;   controlling the ambient air moisture level;   recovering the starch crystalline structure of the gelatinized swollen fortified rice grains by allowing the fortified rice grains to be idle for a sufficient time period at a temperature of about 4° C. or lower, or alternately at room temperature;   drying the recrystallized gelatinized swollen fortified rice grains to a moisture level consistent with the moisture level of unfortified rice grains; and   optionally mixing the fortified rice grains with unfortified rice grains to achieve the desired final concentration.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one enriching nutrient additive is at least one water-soluble vitamin, fat-soluble vitamin, mineral, protein, amino acid, fat, lipid, oil, Omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidant, γ-oryzanol, pharmaceutical compound, medicine, herb, flavoring, coloring material, natural flavor ingredient, fiber, or bran, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . A fortified rice grain product made by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         4 . The rice grain product of  claim 3 , wherein the product is in the form of fortified rice noodles, cakes, cereal flakes, bars, baby formulas, drinks, or mixtures with non-fortified rice grains, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A method of fortifying and reconstituting rice grains, the method comprising:
 grinding rice grains into rice powder flour;   mixing the rice powder flour with about ¼ to about ⅓ volume of water, wherein the water comprises about 25% to about 33% of the total volume, to form a first mixture;   cooking the rice flour powder and water first mixture by steaming, microwaving, or a combination thereof;   mixing the cooked rice powder flour and water first mixture with at least one first enriching nutrient additive for a sufficient time period such that the first mixture forms a second mixture comprising a formable, extrudable rice dough having a dough consistency;   remodeling the rice dough second mixture into remodeled rice;   recovering the starch crystalline structure of the remodeled rice by allowing the remodeled rice to be idle for a sufficient time period at a temperature of about 4° C. or lower, or alternately at room temperature; and   drying the recrystallized remodeled rice to a moisture level consistent with the moisture level of unfortified rice grains.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one first enriching nutrient additive is at least one water-soluble vitamin, fat-soluble vitamin, mineral, protein, amino acid, fat, lipid, oil, Omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidant, γ-oryzanol, pharmaceutical compound, medicine, herb, flavoring, coloring material, natural flavor ingredient, fiber, or bran, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the rice dough second mixture is wrapped around at least one second enriching nutrient additive, the starch crystalline structure of the combination is recovered by allowing the combination to be idle for a sufficient time period at a temperature of about 4° C. or lower, or alternately at room temperature, and the recrystallized combination is dried to a moisture level consistent with the moisture level of unfortified rice grains. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the rice dough second mixture is wrapped around unfortified rice grains, the starch crystalline structure of the combination is recovered by allowing the combination to be idle for a sufficient time period at a temperature of about 4° C. or lower, or alternately at room temperature, and the recrystallized combination is dried to a moisture level consistent with the moisture level of unfortified rice grains. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one second enriching nutrient additive is bran, wheat germ, vitamin, mineral, protein, amino acid, fat, lipid, oil, Omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidant, γ-oryzanol, or fiber, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one second enriching nutrient additive is in pill form. 
     
     
         11 . A fortified rice grain product made by the method of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         12 . The rice grain product of  claim 11 , wherein the product is in the form of fortified rice noodles, cakes, cereal flakes, bars, baby formulas, drinks, or mixtures with non-fortified rice grains, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A method of fortifying and reconstituting rice grains, the method comprising:
 cooking the rice grains by steaming, microwaving, or a combination thereof;   grinding and mixing the cooked rice grains for a sufficient time period such that the cooked rice grains form a first mixture comprising a formable, extrudable rice dough having a dough consistency;   mixing the rice dough first mixture with at least one first enriching nutrient additive to form a rice dough second mixture;   remodeling the rice dough second mixture into remodeled rice;   recovering the starch crystalline structure of the remodeled rice by allowing the remodeled rice to be idle for a sufficient time period at a temperature of about 4° C. or lower, or alternately at room temperature; and   drying the recrystallized remodeled rice to a moisture level consistent with the moisture level of unfortified rice grains.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one first enriching nutrient additive is at least one water-soluble vitamin, fat-soluble vitamin, mineral, protein, amino acid, fat, lipid, oil, Omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidant, γ-oryzanol, pharmaceutical compound, medicine, herb, flavoring, coloring material, natural flavor ingredient, fiber, or bran, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the rice dough second mixture is wrapped around at least one second enriching nutrient additive, the starch crystalline structure of the combination is recovered by allowing the combination to be idle for a sufficient time period at a temperature of about 4° C. or lower, or alternately at room temperature, and the recrystallized combination is dried to a moisture level consistent with the moisture level of unfortified rice grains. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the rice dough second mixture is wrapped around unfortified rice grains, the starch crystalline structure of the combination is recovered by allowing the combination to be idle for a sufficient time period at a temperature of about 4° C. or lower, or alternately at room temperature, and the recrystallized combination is dried to a moisture level consistent with the moisture level of unfortified rice grains. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one second enriching nutrient additive is bran, wheat germ, vitamin, mineral, protein, amino acid, fat, lipid, oil, Omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidant, γ-oryzanol, or fiber, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one second enriching nutrient additive is in pill form. 
     
     
         19 . A fortified rice grain product made by the method of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         20 . The rice grain product of  claim 19 , wherein the product is in the form of fortified rice noodles, cakes, cereal flakes, bars, baby formulas, drinks, or mixtures with non-fortified rice grains, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A method of producing fortified rice grains, the method comprising:
 steaming the rice grains to denature the starch crystalline of only the surface of the rice grains and soften the surface of the rice grains;   forcing at least one powdered fortified micronutrient to penetrate into the denatured rice grains to form fortified rice grains;   reclaiming unpenetrated powdered fortified micronutrient by air blowing, sieving, or a combination thereof;   recovering the starch crystalline structure of the fortified rice grains by allowing the fortified rice grains to be idle for a sufficient time period at a temperature of about 4° C. or lower; and   drying the fortified rice grains and optionally mixing with unfortified rice grains to achieve the desired final concentration.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the steaming of the rice grains denatures the starch crystalline of the entire rice grains and softens the entire rice grains. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one powdered fortified micronutrient is at least one water-soluble vitamin, fat-soluble vitamin, mineral, protein, amino acid, fat, lipid, oil, Omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidant, γ-oryzanol, pharmaceutical compound, medicine, herb, flavoring, coloring material, natural flavor ingredient, fiber, or bran, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one powdered fortified micronutrient is a water-insoluble micronutrient fortificant, a water-soluble micronutrient fortificant, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the forcing of the at least one powdered fortified micronutrient into the denatured rice grains is by high speed spray, high speed or pressure air, high speed or pressure inert gas, inert gas assisted spray, rubbing, or at least one device that facilitates powdered micronutrient penetration into the rice grains, or a combination thereof, and wherein the fortified micronutrient sufficiently penetrates the denatured rice grains and remains imbedded therein. 
     
     
         26 . A fortified rice grain product made by the method of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         27 . The rice grain product of  claim 26 , wherein the product is in the form of fortified rice noodles, cakes, cereal flakes, bars, baby formulas, drinks, or mixtures with non-fortified rice grains, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         28 . A method of producing fortified rice grains, the method comprising:
 mixing at least one powdered micronutrient with at least one porous mineral powder to form a fortified micronutrient mixture or, alternatively, grinding and mixing at least one powdered micronutrient only to form said fortified micronutrient mixture;   forcing the fortified micronutrient mixture to penetrate into unfortified rice grains to form fortified rice grains;   reclaiming unpenetrated fortified micronutrient mixture by air blowing, sieving, or a combination thereof; and   mixing the fortified rice grains with unfortified rice grains to achieve the desired nutrient concentration.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the forcing of the fortified micronutrient mixture into the rice grains is by high speed spray, high speed or pressure air, high speed or pressure inert gas, inert gas assisted spray, rubbing, or at least one device that facilitates powdered micronutrient penetration into the rice grains, or a combination thereof, and wherein the fortified micronutrient mixture penetrates the rice grains and remains imbedded therein. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the high pressure air, high pressure inert gas, or a combination thereof, is about 2200 psi or higher and high enough to force the micronutrient mixture particles to penetrate the rice grains. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one powdered micronutrient is at least one water-soluble vitamin, fat-soluble vitamin, mineral, protein, amino acid, fat, lipid, oil, Omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidant, γ-oryzanol, pharmaceutical compound, medicine, herb, flavoring, coloring material, natural flavor ingredient, fiber, or bran, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one powdered micronutrient is a water-insoluble micronutrient fortificant, a water-soluble micronutrient fortificant, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the at least one porous mineral powder is iron, zinc, or other essential mineral element, a combination thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the unfortified rice grains and the forcing of the fortified nutrient mixture into the unfortified rice grains is in a vacuum. 
     
     
         35 . A fortified rice grain product made by the method of  claim 28 . 
     
     
         36 . The rice grain product of  claim 35 , wherein the product is in the form of fortified rice noodles, cakes, cereal flakes, bars, baby formulas, drinks, or mixtures with non-fortified rice grains, or a combination thereof.